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This project began with a realization that journalists, particularly those in a community newspaper setting, were having to self-educate themselves to report on fracking. Fracking is the process of releasing natural gas from rocks underground by injection of a high pressure water/chemical mixture. This technical topic had been thrown in their faces without much preparation. It began as a day-long conference that targeted journalists to help better prepare them to report on environmental topics such as fracking. In order to get a better understanding, this paper was created to present new reporters the tools needed to begin reporting on the subject. In order to reach this understanding, first a survey was created to anonymously access the struggles. Then, through personal interviews of three knowledgeable reporters, a list was prepared of what could be considered the “tools-of-the-trade” for reporting on fracking.